easyJet has launched a new recruitment drive to encourage over 45s to join its cabin crew.
The campaign aims to show that people with the right skills can become cabin crew at any age.
The airline encourages ‘empty nesters’, parents whose children have left the family home or have started their own careers, and anyone looking for a new career challenge later in life to apply for the positions.
Since 2018, easyJet has seen a 27% increase in cabin crew over the age of 45, including a 30% increase in those over 60 in the last year.
easyJet launches recruitment drive in search for cabin crew who are over 45
The recruitment drive is inspired by the results of research conducted by easyJet recently which revealed that in a survey of 2,000 British adults over 45, over three quarters (78%) said that they would like to begin a new challenge once their children have flown the nest. Over half said (58%) they were most excited about starting a new career.
Over half (57%) of respondents also said that as their children are no longer dependent on them, they’d like to pursue a career in an area they are truly passionate about.
The new recruitment campaign has launched with a series of ads, featuring real life cabin crew who have become easyJet employees in the past year including Mike Tear (57), Gary Fellowes (63) and Carlos Santa Monica (48).
The campaign launch comes during National Older Workers Week, which began on Monday, November 21 and will end on Friday, November 25, 2022.
Neil, 59, became cabin crew in 2019, following in his 29-year-old daughter Holly’s footsteps. He previously worked in engineering and sales.
Neil said: “I decided I needed a new challenge and wanted a job I could enjoy and would look forward to work each day. Knowing how much Holly loved the job and with her encouragement I applied and found myself in Luton academy for training and I have loved it ever since.”
Mother and daughter, Karen (54) and Daniela (21), are also cabin crew members who started flying with easyJet this year.
Karen, who previously worked as a holiday rep while living in Spain, was inspired by her daughter to apply to become cabin crew as she was looking for a change of career.
Karen said: “I’ve always loved travelling and exploring new places, and I’m a real people person. I was recently after a complete career change, and I wanted to be cabin crew when I was younger, so when Daniela started her role with easyJet I was inspired to try it myself. And I’m so glad I did!”
The survey also revealed that many ‘empty nesters’ are now turning to their children as motivation for looking for a new job, with over two thirds (67%) feeling inspired by their children’s career success and growth.
One fifth (20%) of parents even said they would love to work in the same company as their children to spend more time with them.
Over six in 10 (63%) of those surveyed said that a career that means they can travel would be most desirable, with almost three quarters (70%) saying that travelling more is the one thing they have always wanted to do.
The research also revealed the top 10 most desirable new career choices for the over 45s.
Top 10 new career choices for parents over 45 according to easyJet research
- Charity worker/volunteer (39%)
- Paramedic (29%)
- Teacher (28%)
- Librarian (27%)
- Airline cabin crew (26%)
- Tradesperson e.g. carpenter or electrician (24%)
- Civil service (22%)
- Chef (18%)
- Receptionist (16%)
- Driving instructor (14%)
Michael Brown, Director of Cabin Services for easyJet, said: “At easyJet, our people are at the heart of everything we do and it’s the warm welcome and excellent customer service that our cabin crew are famous for. All our brilliant crew who are part of our new campaign are a great example of how being cabin crew is a fantastic job no matter what your age and so we want to encourage even more people like them to join us.
“If you’ve got a passion for travel and people and want a job that’s different every day, then we can’t wait to welcome you on board as part of the team.”
To find out more about a cabin crew career with easyJet, you can visit the airline’s website.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here